I am just curious how long it requires interviewers to make their decisions on a candidate? Even within a 30-min phone screen, maybe decisions are made within the first 5min because I guess interviewers can have a general idea about whether they want to work with this guy within several mins of conversation.
| +355 | Evercore Intern Seizure | 54 | 7h |
| +67 | JPM M&A is Gone??? Purely Coverage Banking??? | 31 | 6h |
| +58 | Is DCM actually underrated ? | 24 | 17h |
| +50 | How do I understand vs. just memorizing? | 5 | 16h |
| +48 | Losing my personality in Banking | 9 | 17h |
| +47 | Are all Tech / TMT groups sweaty? | 38 | 13h |
| +42 | Associate & Above IB exits | 16 | 3d |
| +32 | Incoming IB Analyst: Best Ways to Prepare? | 10 | 9h |
| +27 | Which groups are ideal for laterals? | 12 | 11h |
| +24 | The good and bad with Wells Fargo | 1 | 17h |
Career Resources
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
Generally if your resume comes across my desk this is where you either get dinged or not. If I think your resume is stupid you have already lost my vote in the hiring process. However, You can overcome this if you have a stellar interview. However this usually takes the whole interview.
I personally would not view the interview process as winning an offer, but rather an offer to lose.(Mock this all you want but with candidates I am usually disqualifying more than I am qualifying candidates) A lot of people loose the offer before they can get to the door, let alone a foot in it.
How a 'stupid' resume can ever stand out from HR screening and come across your desk......
I assume you question is how can a resume stand out. For starters:
Good/clean formatting, solid credentials, clear passion for banking, relevant internships
Look I’m only a 2nd year analyst but lmfao get off your high horse.
Dinging a kid before even interviewing based on resume sounds terrible and I feel bad for any kid that needs to interview with you
Call it a high horse, but you can't tell me that you eliminate your bias prior to an interview pre-looking at a resume. Its just not possible. Same as if a kid walks in poorly dressed (interns will get a little bit of a pass) its going to be harder for you to take them seriously.
If a associate or VP hands you five resumes and you see one from your alma mater all the other kids are going to be at a disadvantage (call this a ding or whatever) Partially for my own selfish reasons. If you list Soap carving or stamp collecting on your resume and you got an interview, I am going to look at you weird (call this a ding or whatever).
Additionally to quote myself "However, You can overcome this if you have a stellar interview. However this usually takes the whole interview. " - I am fully of the mindset of let the best candidate win, but I am going to judge candidates on social skills and technical skills.
I'm a 2nd year too, and I'd say its fair. I'm not giving an offer to a baruch kid with a 3.0 and no finance experience just because he memorized some technicals.
bump
Depends on how the interview is progressing overall rather than just the initial impression (for me personally. This obviously changes from person to person.)
For instance, I wouldn’t discount someone just basis a few ‘wrong’ answers at the outset, if they seem to have a generally good understanding of things and aren’t able to articulate well. Will it skew my opinion about the candidate to the negative side? Sure. But will I just decide that however well they do for the rest of the interview, I’m just not going to go ahead with the candidate? Probably not.* That said, this is for the technical part. If they don’t seem to be the right fit on the behavioral side, the first few minutes are enough to make a decision.
how you interviewers assess
whether the candidate is a fit? I think 'fit' is ambiguous.
Like it or not probably ding some candidates in the first 5 minutes, then the rest of the interview is spent finding reasons to cut them vs finding reasons to hire them.
Top reasons for me to ding someone:
1. Mastery of English language is not at the right level
2. Too unprofessional/bro-y during introductions. Hearing someone say what's up during an interview is auto ding already.
3. Doesn't speak succinctly i.e rambles too much and putting the interview behind schedule unless I cut you off
4. Not attempting to solve a question. Even if you don't know it I would like to see how you can think on your feet and adapt
5. Your agreeableness. Personally would prefer candidates who don't blindly agree with w/e I say like it's gospel. If there's something you don't understand or your unclear then bring it up.
Major dings:
1. Errors / lying on your resume
2. Arrogance
3. Poor etiquette / manners / being late
4. Not having a good answer for "why X Company" or "why X Industry"
5. Poor technicals, to the point where it seems you didn't try
Medium Dings:
1. Not having an answer to a question
2. Speaking for too long
3. Low GPA / easy major
4. Not dressed entirely professionally / clean
5. Apologizing too much
Minor Dings:
1. A background that doesn't seem to match
2. Being socially awkward (i.e. averting gaze)
3. Weirdly formatted resumes
4. Speaking too quietly or too forcefully
5. Fidgeting too much
It would also be interesting to know what makes a candidate stand out to you.
Plenty of things
Major pluses:
1. Having relevant experience and being able to talk about it
2. Showcasing you have done your HW on a firm (knowing a deal, having spoken to someone)
3. Strong GPA / major with extra finance education thrown in
4. Being an excellent communicator (succinct and cogent with answers, persuasive, clear articulation)
5. Strong technical skills as well as quick learning when you miss something
Minor pluses:
1. Looking the part
2. Good eye contact
3. Confidence in what they have done and hope to do
4. A certain degree of self-deprecation / acknowledgement of the reality of the job
5. Humor or joviality (natural and not forced)
One thing I try to do is spice up the conversation from the beginning, and ask something not just “how are you?”. Try to ask something that gets them to talk a bit more and feel comfortable with you. My go-to would often be “how about you, how’re you doing? Busy week?” which usually leads to a short conversation on what they’re working on, etc. Doesn’t need to be much.
bump
Molestiae quas ab qui perferendis est et. Incidunt in eius blanditiis est sit. Molestiae quis neque eligendi sit distinctio.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...